December 8th, 2021, Janice Fernandes
Every year YouGov’s Best Brand Rankings acknowledge the best-performing companies according to consumers. In a recent webinar with representatives of some of the winning brands, we explore just what it takes to become one.
The annual Best Brands Rankings are calculated using data collected from Britons every day from our global brand tracking tool – YouGov BrandIndex.
YouGov’s annual best brands webinar looks to understand how the top brands achieved such great results – what strategies and marketing tactics drove brand health among consumers and how other brands can move the needle on brand health.
Joining the discussion were experts from Top Brands and Top Improvers:
- Sharry Cramond, Marketing Director, M&S Food
- Ian Moverley, UK Communications & Public Affairs Director, Whirlpool
- Max McShane, Digital Marketing Director, Octopus Energy
The conversation focused on customer service and satisfaction during the pandemic and how to continue deliver flexibly to drive online growth. “Mobile shopping now counts for half of our online orders but our digital experience is more than just placing an order online, it’s about accessing services,” Cramond says. “We’re also embracing digital technology within advertising. Our new Christmas clothing ads use flow code technology on some channels, where a QR code takes you directly to that product once scanned.”
Sustainability was another talking point with Moverley describing the principles that served the brand so well during its recent product recall. The Whirlpool spokesman also covered the brand’s communication tactics during COVID-19: new digital technology and bespoke solutions to customer services.
Octopus Energy is no stranger to renewable energy. However, for this year’s first-time entrant into our top ten improvers ranking, sustainability wasn’t their main selling point. McShane elaborates, “Initially, the main selling points were price and customer service. Two years ago, renewable energy was at the bottom of the pile – 10% said it was priority number one. But in the last few months there has been a shift in the public’s interest in going green with about 70% of people believing in man-made climate change.” McShane also revealed a unique way in which Octopus Energy improved their customer service experience (music played a big role).